Los Angeles, California - “The Little Red Rooster” is one of the all-time consummate Chicago blues numbers. Written by the great Willie Dixon in 1961, it was first recorded by Howlin’ Wolf that same year, before becoming a major US hit for Sam Cooke in 1963. The following year, it was transformed into a worldwide mega-smash by The Rolling Stones. In fact,“Little Red Rooster” remains the only true blues number ever to top the UK chart.
Now, the rooster is back, in the hands of drum legend Carmine Appice and his revitalized Cactus,.although it was not hatched by Cactus alone. Hot on the news of his retirement from live work, Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) turns in a characteristically charismatic lead vocal; Tracii Guns (LA Guns) lays down his most blues-wailin’ guitar - and there’s a video, too, created and edited by Dominic Esposito/Deville Films and co-directed by Carmine himself.
“It was great working on ‘The Little Red Rooster’ with Dee and Tracii,” says Carmine. “I arranged it with the drums first, then sent it to [bandmates] Artie Dillion and Ed Terry for their feedback. We created the demo for Tracii, Dee and James Haslip who finished the song. Ed was gracious sitting on the sidelines for this one so Dee could sing the lead vocals. It was such an honor to have Dee on the song and to have him make an appearance in the video, especially since he’s retired now. The song Rocks!”
"Cactus! The name conjures such amazing memories for me,” exclaims Dee Snider. “An inspiration for the rock I would play in the years to come. Can you imagine what it was like to ‘get the call’ that your heroes want you to rock with them? Mind blowing! And now to be asked for a second time!? What a treat to dig into a blues classic like ‘The Little Red Rooster’ with Cactus!!! Hell yeah!!”
And, of course, there’s a brand new Cactus album to leap into as well.
It’s been two years since Cactus first unbarred the doors to the Temple Of Blues--a 15-track slab of head-banging, hip-swinging heavy blues rock whose subtitle, Influences And Friends, roped in a host of special guests, all of whom held the band very close to their hearts.
Now the Temple reopens again with a fearless sequel, Temple Of Blues II, due out April 3 via Cleopatra Records. And again, there’s an all-star aggregation that recalls Snider, Ted Nugent, Billy Sheehan, Bumblefoot and Pat Travers from volume one, alongside an all-new wave of heavy hitters including Gunns, Steve Morse (Deep Purple) Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot), Alex Skolnick (Testament), and of course Cactus regulars - Ed Terry ("amazing" vocals, as Carmine puts it), Artie Dillion (guitar) and bassist James Caputo
Oft-described as America’s Led Zeppelin, the original Cactus grew out of Appice’s past experiences with Vanilla Fudge and Beck Bogert and Appice. Debuting in 1970 with a self-titled album and an immediate impact on the live circuit, Cactus released four albums between 1969 and 1972, each one of them a milestone in American hard rock. The band reformed in 2006 and remains as punchy a powerhouse as it ever was in its prime.
But Temple Of Blues II not only journeys back to the band’s roots in the blues,it also takes us back to their birth. In the summer of 1970, Cactus were among the main attractions at the Isle of Wight Festival in England, and the new album’s “Purple Haze” reunites them with both another of that bill’s audience favorites, Melanie (who recorded lead vocals for the song before her passing in 2024), and its overall headliner, Jimi Hendrix. And if anyone thinks that’s an unlikely collaboration, here’s Carmine to explain.
““Melanie’s voice was so distinctive in that it could shift seamlessly from sweet to raspy. Her talent was versatile too - she was at home in front of the mic whether it be an anthem or a pop tune. That voice could sound childlike in one moment and full of wisdom and maturity the next. No wonder she and her work are still so beloved.” Needless to say, “Purple Haze” is not a childlike performance.
Elsewhere on this thunderous adventure, Joe Lynn Turner joins Steve Morse, Carmine’s Guitar Zeusbandmate Tony Franklin and Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) for “Bad Stuff,” and Ted Nugent and Bob Daisley (Rainbow) join forces for an astonishing “Spoonful” - another Dixon/Wolf number on an album that Carmine proudly acknowledges is packed with them.
“We are doing seven of the great Howlin Wolf and Willie Dixon songs,” he continues, a tally that also includes the band’s last single, “Back Door Man,” alongside “300 Pounds of Joy,” “Moanin’ At Midnight” (featuring Canadian legend Pat Travers) “Down In The Bottom” and “Tail Dragger.”
And every one of them (and more besides!) expands the raw blues-rock vision of volume one with even more fire, swagger, and authority. And Carmine, of course, anchors the proceedings with his unmistakable power, groove, and feel, driving every track and reaffirming his status as one of the most influential drummers in rock history.
VINYL/CD: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=cactus+temple+of+blues+ii
DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/cactus_templeofbluesii
Track listing
1. Back Door Man Pt. 1 & 2 feat. Eric Gales & Billy Sheehan
2. 300 Pounds Of Joy feat. Ty Tabor
3. Moanin’ At Midnight feat. Pat Travers
4. Down In The Bottom feat. Dug Pinnick
5. Token Chokin’ feat. Bumblefoot
6. Bad Stuff feat. Steve Morse, Joe Lynn Turner, Derek Sherinian
& Tony Franklin
7. Tail Dragger feat. Rudy Sarzo & Alex Skolnick
8. The Little Red Rooster feat. Dee Snider, Tracii Guns, James Haslip
9. Purple Haze feat. Melanie
10. Spoonful feat. Ted Nugent & Bob Daisley
BONUS TRACK [CD ONLY]
11. Feel So Good feat. Billy Sheehan & Britt Lightning
CACTUS
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Carmine Appice And Cactus Releases Second Track From ‘Temple Of The Blues Ii’ All-Star Album Due Out April 3 Via Cleopatra Records “The Little Red Rooster” Featuring Dee Snider On Lead Vocals And Tracii Guns On Guitar Out Today
